THE MENNONITE BROTHERHOOD IN RUSSIA (1789 - 1910), P. M. Friesen, 1911

ears old, was bom in the colony of Schoenhorst [District of Chortitza] into the Mennonite religion, raised in the colony of Einlage, am able to read and write German, and am married for the second time; I have three children from my first marriage [name and age]. I have never been judged nor brought before a court of law. “2) I, the Mennonite Heinrich Neufeld, have in no way renounced the Mennonite religion [NB] ; rather I confess that the reformer Menno Simons instituted baptism and the Lord's Supper in accordance with the Word of God. In the course of time, however, these ordinances were corrupted to such an extent that they were no longer observed in accordance with the Word of God. Since a number of us Mennonites have, through the Spirit of God, come to this realization, we, that is, Abraham Unger and I, have been confirmed by our fellow brothers, and the Holy Spirit gives us this testimony, that we are to serve this congregation in accordance with the Word of God, Acts 20:28. §141 316 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH “We perform holy baptism only on persons who have become believers, and that by immersion, Mark 16:16, 16; Matt. 3:13-17; Acts 8:37-39; Rom. 6:4. “Our congregation now numbers 76 male and female souls. We do not entice any person to join our fellowship ; rather only those who are convicted of the truth through the Holy Spirit are accepted by us. “Regarding marriage we confess that it is instituted by God and is to be kept holy. “We celebrate holy communion with bread and wine, and that not only as a memorial, but as the true flesh and blood of Christ, John 6:53, 54. [One should note this emphasis upon the ‘substantiality’ in the Lord’s Supper, here as well as by Unger.) “The cleansing of our sins does not take place through baptism, rather we are justified before God through faith in Jesus Christ, Rom. 5 : 1 ; I John 1:6, etc.: Ifwesay that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also for the sins of the whole world. We confess, moreover, 115 that if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, Hebrews 10:26. “No one has joined our fellowship from the Russian church.” 116 "Answers [B]: “1) I, the Mennonite Abraham Unge